


Hate

by Waitlist



Series: Waitlist's DA Collection [3]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games)
Genre: Gen, Graphic Description of Fire, Origin Story, Orlais 9:14 Dragon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-06
Updated: 2017-06-06
Packaged: 2018-11-09 14:49:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,378
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11106819
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Waitlist/pseuds/Waitlist
Summary: A young elf grows up knowing nothing but hate.(origin story for an OC - based on prompt: hate)





	Hate

June thought her mother was not a bad person. She wasn’t like the shemlen in the main city of Val D’anges, who upset her on purpose, or ignored her like she was dust. She did everything mothers were supposed to do; feed their child, teach them to walk and speak, and tuck them into bed at night. 

The other elves in the Alienage sought the attention of her mother almost as much as June did. 

“Evanna!” They’d cry as she sold her wares in the town, clamoring to see which foods and materials she’d acquired, while she smirked quietly at their vying faces. June knew that those goods weren’t good at all. Likely stolen from nobles or human merchants, but Evanna held such a low regard for authority. 

Despite being her only daughter, there was always some intangible distance between the two of them. Contempt clear in her mother’s gaze by the time she was 8. No more kisses ‘goodnight’ at age 6. Resentment, June pinned down, as soon as she learned of the word. 

They never talked, but June heard things about her mother, from before she was born, when she lived in the village Selene. Evanna had money and a job, a life outside of the slums. Until 9:03 Dragon, she became pregnant, and lost her job. Soon after, everything crumbled and she was sent to live in the back alleys of an alienage in the North with a newborn June.

June was only living evidence of how her mother’s life had fallen apart. She supposed, with some degree of bitterness, that she would feel the same way if that happened to her. A child raised by hatred. 

“June? What are you doing down there?”

Evanna’s voice broke through her thoughts. June was curled up at the foot of her bedroll, drawing in the dust on the ground with her finger. She didn’t bother answering - her mother didn’t want a response anyway.

“I need you to go into town, to pick up some herbs, the sweet ones you like. I have a meeting with one of the guards tonight, so stay out of the house until morning. You can stay at Michel’s, yes?”

“Yes mama.”

Her mother dropped two copper coins on the ground beside June. With a slight wave of her hand, Evanna was gone. June got up, and went into town for sweet herbs.

She donned her long black cloak, despite the warm summer evening, because it had a heavy hood to cover her ears. The shemlen would still know she was an elf, from her clothing, stature, and voice, but at least the cloak helped her to stay out of trouble. June gripped tightly to her coins. Any bullies would have to pry the money from her hand, giving her a chance to fight back.

Standing on the bridge between the alienage and the city, it was easy to compare two different worlds. June kept her head down and walked quickly.

In the downtown, the markets were in the process of closing. She caught the herb merchant folding his parasol. Thankfully, his stock was still on the table. 

“Excuse me, ser.” Her voice was timid.

The shemlen merchant was almost twice her height, wearing a ponytail and a simple face mask to give the impression of wealth. She knew by the state of his shoes that it was a poor disguise. She hated that kind of person.

“Eh? You’re looking for herbs?” 

“Yes, yes, please, ser. I’d like to buy some embrium.” 

He looked down his long nose at her. “You’ve got coin I hope. Can’t make money if you’re just looking for scraps.”

“No, ser, I’ve got coin,” she raised her palm containing two coppers. He plucked them from her hand, and inspected them for a short time.

“Hmm. I suppose this will cover some embrium leaves.”

June let out a silent sigh of relief as the merchant fished into his herb bag, and brought out some dried leaves. He pushed them into her hand, and sealed the bag tight. 

“Now get gone, scavenger. I don’t want folks thinking your kind is making a fool of me.” 

She ignored the comment. “Thank you ser.” Without hesitating, she pulled up her cloak and hurried back to her alienage before the sun went down. 

On the way, she pressed the leaves to her nose and inhaled, meaning to savour the sweet smell of embrium. But when she did, she only smelled the dusty leaves of blood lotus. Her heart sank. The merchant sold her short. At least she wouldn’t have to face her mother until tomorrow morning.

Within the alienage, June pulled down her hood. Michel lived across the street from her. He was a young elf boy, a year older than her, who had been living in Val D’anges with his large family all his life. She knocked on his door.

“Petite ombre, what are you doing here?” Michel’s father opened the door after a minute.

She explained about her mother’s meeting, and he shook his head disapprovingly. “Your mother would never notice if you disappeared one day, hm? Maker. Of course, come inside. We’re celebrating Michel’s birthday, actually.”

Michel was turning twelve. June imagined it was much like being eleven, but just one step closer to being an adult. There was a nice baked fruit loaf to share, and Michel’s family stayed up singing songs and telling stories until late. June kept quiet in the corner - she felt more like an outsider here than she did in the shemlen market. She was eventually given a space to sleep next to Michel’s bedroll. 

Instead of sleeping, Michel was interested in talking to June.

“June? June? Hey.” He pestered her as she pretended to sleep. She only answered sharply when he poked her shoulder. 

“What?”

“When’s your birthday?” 

“I don’t know.” This was a fact that didn’t bother her. 

To Michel, it was the end of the world. “ _ You don’t know _ ?”

“I don’t know.” 

“Your mamae never told you? How do you celebrate? How do you even know how old you are?”

June grumbled. “I know when the seasons pass. It really doesn’t matter. Go to sleep.”

He was silent for a few blessed seconds. “You’re kinda weird, huh.”

“Shut up,” she hissed, growing more and more agitated by his chatter. 

“Your mama is stranger. She’s friends with all the guards.” Michel nudged her as she rolled over, trying to ignore him. “She doesn’t seem to like many other people. Even you, which is weird, because you’re family.”

“ _ Shut up.” _

The hint of anger was lost on Michel. He pulled her hair. “Hey, listen.”

A switch went off in June. She lashed out, grabbed his offending hand, and all of her built-up rage manifested into the iron grip she held. “Don’t touch me.”

He started to cry, evolving into a wail as she crushed his fingers. Instead of sympathy or shame, she grew angrier. His family was waking in the house. She didn’t care.

The next moment, there was fire in her hands. Real flame, burning her skin, lighting up the room in a flashing red. She yelped, releasing the sobbing Michel, who now had burns all over his wrist. In panic, she threw her hands to the ground. 

Michel’s bedroll set alight in violent fires that smoked with fury. His screams reignited. The bedroll fire caught on to the window drapes, and soon rolled through the entire room. Shouts from inside and outside the house called for water, help, anything. 

June stood in the middle of the room, a mix of power and fear and hate drumming her heart. Sweat and tears stuck her blonde hair to her face. The flames in her hands were gone, but the house fire still burned. Michel stopped screaming. She bolted for the door. 

As she dashed outside, there were crowds of people already gathering. Some were trying to help, some were just watching the blaze like a spectacle. 

“June?”

Her mother’s voice. 

“Seize the girl. She’s a mage. Look how she’s untouched by the fire - it’s magic.”

A shemlen guard, emerging from her own house. June was too shocked to resist any of the other guards’ pull. 

“Mama?” She tried, knowing already, she was gone.

**Author's Note:**

> uploading all of my short stories from last year blah blah I actually spent a lot of time editing this one  
> kudos appreciated!  
> learn more about June here: http://aevani.tumblr.com/cards


End file.
